The French group launched its first dairy research centre in Asia
at the same time as raising its stake in China's Bright Dairy &
Food Co to 11.55 per cent.
Fonterra, the New Zealand dairy co-operative, is set to build a new
multi-million dollar research and development centre to help it
move ahead in global added value product trends.
The European Court of Justice's feta ruling may give sole rights to
Greece, yet one of Europe's leading dairy producers has been
preparing for years to find a way round the new rules.
The French dairy group will launch its successful Activia probiotic
yoghurts in the US at the start of next year as American consumers
catch on to the benefits of 'friendly bacteria'.
Added value dairy and soft drinks lead Danone to a sales rise in
the third quarter, but the firm is banking on a new pricing and
innovation strategy to re-ignite itself at home in France.
The EU's CAP reforms continue to force changes on Europe's dairy
firms as Arla Foods announced it will close a Danish milk powder
plant that is no longer vital for production.
The UK branch of dairy processor and ingredients supplier Arla
Foods told investors yesterday that it is still on track to reach
revised profit targets for the year, boosted by its brands
performing well.
French yoghurt and biscuit maker Danone said today that it is not
looking to acquire the Dutch infant nutrition firm Numico, after
rumours that Danone was making a bid pushed up the Dutch group's
shares.
France's largest dairy processor, Lactalis, wants the industry to
introduce fixed prices for dairy products in order to cope with
unstable markets and insulate against cuts to EU export subsidies.
Danone's chairman appeared to defend French government proposals
for more transparency from firms during takeover rumours, in an
internal interview concerning the recent PepsiCo gossip.
Arla's switch of production from the EU to Saudi Arabia will save
the firm money and help it to benefit from the Middle East's
significant potential for high value diary products.
Arla Foods' factory re-jig paid off this week as the group signed a
joint-venture deal with China's leading dairy firm to get its added
value milk powder products into one of the world's fastest emerging
dairy markets.
Dairy group Arla Foods, under pressure from intense cost pressures,
will cut staff and production at a speciality milk powder plant in
Denmark to help salvage full-year profits.
Arla UK, one of the country's biggest milk processors, has warned
that 2005 profits will be hit by intense cost pressures,
highlighting the crucial role of value-added dairy development to
insulate margins.
Dairy producer Arla Foods, which supplies butter to a number of
bakeries, has sent out one of the first signals that the dairy
sector is hurting from a reduction in EU agricultural export
subsidies.
Another write-down charge hits French firm Danone, taking the gloss
off a rise in dairy and beverage sales, as rumours of a take-over
bid by PepsiCo subside, reports Chris Mercer.
US-based PepsiCo has engaged investment banks Morgan Stanley and
UBS to advise on a possible takeover of Danone, the French bottled
water, yoghurt and biscuits group, according to a report today
inthe Financial Times.
Months after New Zealand dairy giant Fonterra lost out to San
Miguel in the bid for National Foods, the firm unveils this week
plans to expand its presence in Australia.
Arla UK has been criticised for setting up a new wave of
instability through Britain's milk supply chain after it cut the
price it pays to farmers for milk, citing cost pressures,
reports Chris Mercer.
Arla UK has survived a tense year of negotiations with Britain's
major retailers, as new supply contracts and branded fresh milk
promise a brighter future, reports Chris Mercer.
Fall in milk price paid to farmers brings gains in first half for
Arla Foods, the owner of Arla Food Ingredients, but the
co-operative warns the full year remains 'uncertain'.
Ice cream manufacturers gearing up for the lucrative summer season
should take note, as Haagen-Dazs and Unilever announce their
intentions to introduce a range of low fat products in the US,
Philippa Nuttall reports.
UK milk processors Arla Foods and Dairy Crest have had their
lucrative contracts to supply fresh milk to UK multiple retailer
Morrisons extended - at the expense of rival dairy company Robert
Wiseman, Tom Armitage reports.
After the dank summer and sales of 2004, ice cream makers looking
to boost 2005 figures will find comfort in new research that claims
ice cream actually 'makes you happy', reports Lindsey
Partos.
Arla Foods and Campina, two of Europe's largest dairy
co-operatives, have abandoned their much-hyped plans to merge,
after failing to secure the confidence of their respective boards,
Tom Armitage reports.
Understanding the most extreme conditions for food products will
bring gains for product formulation, particularly functional foods,
on Earth, says Arla Food Ingredients, the firm that has developed a
new yoghurt for consumption by...
New Zealand dairy co-operative Fonterra announced today that it has
pulled out of the three month bidding war to buy National Foods,
crowning San Miguel the new owner of Australia's largest publicly
traded dairy company, Tom...
French dairy giant Danone has received approval from the Chinese
authorities to more than double its existing stake in China's
biggest dairy company, Tom Armitage reports.
New Zealand dairy co-operative Fonterra, currently involved in a
bidding war for Australia's National Foods, has been told by the
Australian Takeovers Panel to issue a supplementary bidder's
statement about its possible...
Unilever Best Foods Netherlands has installed a packaging system
that combines cartoning with an automatic product feeding system to
handle the special pack design of its Becel (Flora) pro. active
spread.
The food code in Australia is under review as food maker Unilever
Australia calls for approval of an ice structuring protein (ISP)
used to make ice cream and edible ices.
Campina, the Dutch dairy co-operative, yesterday informed its
member-farmers that the date of a crucial vote determining whether
it will merge with Arla Foods has been pushed back, to allow both
groups more time to reconsider "unresolved...
Danone, France's leading food manufacturer, is to double its stake
in China's Bright Dairy and Food to just under 10 per cent, a move
expected to herald a ramping up of Danone's investments in one of
the world's...
New Zealand dairy co-operative Fonterra has upped its share price
offer for Australia's leading dairy company National Foods,
trumping a rival bid from San Miguel Corporation (SMC) and gaining
the unanimous backing of National...
Arla Foods' proposed sale of its packaging company, Danapak,
reflects a growing trend within the European dairy sector of
companies focussing exclusively on their core operations.
Fonterra's CEO, Andrew Ferrier, arrived in Victoria, Australia
yesterday as part of a last-ditch attempt to convince Australian
dairy farmers to back the dairy co-operative's bid for the
country's leading dairy company,...
Andrew Ferrier, Fonterra's CEO, today reiterated calls for a united
dairy industry amid the mounting threat of cheaper soy, nut and
rice-based dairy alternatives, Tom Armitage reports.
Fonterra has developed a label that can be recycled along with the
plastic wrap that goes around pallets of goods in order to reduce
the amount of waste that is sent to landfill.
Committee members of Danish-Swedish dairy co-operative Arla Foods
have voiced concerns over a financial technicality which could
throw its approaching merger with Campina into disarray, Tom
Armitage reports.
Danone, the French dairy conglomerate, announced today that net
profits had plummeted 62 per cent, following the costly €600
million write down of its water-cooler business last month, Tom
Armitage reports.
Anglo-Dutch consumer giant Unilever is set to overhaul its
management structure - a move which it claims will help restore
top-line sales growth and allow it to draw a line under what it
called an "unsatisfactory" 2004 performance,...
Fonterra, the New Zealand dairy co-operative, has extended its
share offer to buy Australian food group National Foods to 8 March
- despite National Foods' board urging its shareholders to back a
rival offer from Philippines-based...
Emmi Logistique, the distribution division of leading Swiss dairy
company Emmi, has entered into a long-term agreement to distribute
Unilever's ice cream products across Switzerland and the
Netherlands, Tom Armitage reports.
Arla Foods UK, the UK subsidiary of Danish-Swedish dairy
co-operative Arla Foods, announced yesterday that it is to put its
milk prices on hold - a move which will appease British dairy
farmers and also temporarily heal a long-running...
Danish-Swedish dairy co-operative Arla Foods has announced it is to
cease operations at one of its Danish cheese warehouses as a result
of flagging sales of its hard and semi-hard yellow cheeses,
reports Tom Armitage.
France's biggest dairy producer Lactalis is set to acquire fellow
French dairy producer Pochat, another acquisition aimed at
strengthening its branded, consumer dairy product line-up, Tom
Armitage reports.